Nigeria's First Blind Comedian

Some physically-challenged adults see barriers to their dreams; but this boy in his early teens, sees opportunities. Meet a new comedy wonder: Abednego Jacob.

It does not take much to recognise talent. Abegnego Jacob, a 13-year-old Basic Four pupil of the Pacelli School for the Blind in Surulere, Lagos, is a budding talent. While representing his school at a charity performance organised in honour of Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin (CEO of Dudu Productions) who turned 60 a few weeks ago, he unveiled an aspect of him that gives credence to the saying that, ‘some people can see without their eyes’.
Called up to the stage by Yemi Sodimu, the host at the event, the audience obviously never expected more from this child performer. But the moment he got hold of the microphone, he started reeling out jokes, most of them original, in a manner that had several artistes present bewildered.
Taking turns, he engaged Gbenga Adeyinka and Segun Arinze in a comic session that only confirmed that he is not new to the game. For instance, when he was alerted on the stage that Segun Arinze was approaching the podium to meet him, he mimicked his (Segun’s) deep baritone, portraying the character that earned Arinze his nickname, Black Arrow, in home videos.
Abednego is not yet a professional, but for an amateur he shows a lot of prospects. “I started this in 2008. I have friends in school and we would all sit together telling jokes. But each time I spoke, they would all laugh and from then on, they started asking me to join comedy since I could make people laugh. At first, I did not take it seriously until December 10, 2008, when I got the chance to perform on a real stage. That first experience was what opened me to the possibilities I have in me. I did it very well”.
Since he cannot physically see his audience, one would be tempted to wonder if Abednego knows what stage fright is. “I do not feel frightened. That is because what I want to say flows in me. It just runs in me and I say it out. The good thing is that I study my environment to know what to say; I listen to the radio and watch television too. So my ears help me to pick the things going on. Even at shows, I listen to pick comments I could create jokes from”.
While waiting to break into the big league, Abednego says he is contented with the several accolades that come his way whenever he performs. “I have not really started making money but I believe my time is coming. A few days ago, I took part in a comedy show, where they brought other upcoming comedians. At the end of that event, I was chosen as the ‘Best Comedian of the Year’. I have also been honoured at many other events. The truth is that when I perform, people see the potentials and encourage me to aspire to the top; that is exactly what I am doing”.
Getting to the top for him would, however, mean completing his studies first because according to him, that is one task his parents have assigned to him in order to pursue his talent in the creative industry. “Honestly, I thank God for my parents. They have been very supportive but they are worried about my education. Despite their encouragement, they want me to finish my schooling first. Whenever I am with them, they tell me about education and they need for me to have it completed”.
Another unique aspect of Abednego is his versatility in other area of art. “I do not do only comedy; I also sing and I do a little ‘emcee’. Sometimes, I try my hands on DJ jobs too. But ultimately, I want to be a producer. I know I would be happy producing and doing my comedy sketches in future”.
At most shows where Abednego has featured, he quickly opts to do ‘Limpopo’, the popular song by KC. Does that mean KC is his best music artiste? “I just love his song. But I love an array of other artistes too like Davido and Sheyi Shay; but my best rapper is Vector the Viper”.
Of course, he has a word of advice for visually-impaired children like him who believe they have something the world needs. “If you have something in you to showcase do not hide, come out and do it. Opportunity comes only to those willing to grab it”.
Abednego is right about opportunity coming to those willing to grab it. At the event, he was promised a voice-over contract by Dudu Productions’ boss in his next television commercials.
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Big Brother Africa: HouseMates Set To Marry

“It’s a wedding day, it’s a wedding day,” as the classic Brenda Fassie hit goes but how did HaCleo and Oneza do it?

Hakeem and Cleo have been fondly referred to as Hacleo while Feza and Oneal have been continually called Oneza by fans across Africa because of the affection these couples have expressed towards each other in The Chase.

Could their love be written in the stars though considering that both couples will be getting married for this week’s Task after a wholly random selection?

Well, word is that Beverly is the one that had the yellow bow tie but quickly swapped with Cleo upon seeing that Hakeem has the yellow ring - sneaky! Wonder if Hakeem knows this.

After realizing that she had picked a red bow tie and her man Oneal had a red ring, Feza screamed; “It’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Well, Big Brother Africa has seen some real couples developing in the House and eventually getting married. Remember Big Brother Season 4 winner Kevin and his Tanzanian babe Elizabeth? The two met in the House and are happily married today.

In Big Brother All Stars we saw Namibia’s Meryl and Tanzania’s Mwisho taking vows live in the House before the whole of Africa. The couple’s relationship continued beyond the House.

In the same Season, All Stars winner Uti from Nigeria and Kenya’s Sheila aka Shuti had a special connection in the House but didn’t want to jinx it so they waited until they were out of the game to announce that they were together.

It looks like Evicted couple Koketso and LK4 are still going strong too after being booted out of The Chase together and maybe there’s a future for Bolt and Betty as well as the Ethiopian lass was determined to wait for her man. Now that they are both out there, we wonder if they have made contact.

Today we see Hacleo and Oneza swimming against the tide to make their relationships work in The Chase. This being a fast paced game, there have been ups and downs in their journey but this being a week of all things merry, will they realize the need to seal their love for good?

Are this week’s weddings simply a coincidence or fate?
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What You Don't Know About Banky W

R n B Singer, Olubankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W, was born to Nigerian parents in the United States of America.

Since returning home to pursue a career in music, the musician with a sultry voice, has clearly established himself as a master in the R&B genre.

For his effort in music, his awards and nominations are legion. His first effort, Undeniable in 2003, earned him the 2003 R&B/Soul Artist of the Year at the Urban Independent Music Awards. Since then, several other awards have followed.

In 2006 alone, he won the John Lennon Song Writing Award 2006, R&B Category, for ‘My Regret’ and also emerged Best R&B Artiste, Nigerian Entertainment Awards.

That same year, in the USA, the stylish artiste who has made the fedora hat his signature style, was the Best Male R&B Artiste courtesy, Urban Independent Music Awards.

The R&B crooner, fondly called Mr. Capable, spoke to Allure on what his typical day is like. Enjoy it.

“A typical day in my life starts from when I wake up. First, I try to say a little prayer to get my day started. Then I go out to work out with my trainer Uzi. He is the younger brother of Ikechukwu. He is an amazing physical trainer.  He tries to get me into shape so that I can look like Peter from P-quare. After my training, I come home, shower and dress for work.

When dressing for work, the number one consideration for me is comfort. I like to be comfortable so even if I am wearing a suit, it has to fit properly. I wear a lot of traditional outfits these days because they are comfortable. Other than comfort, you should dress how you want to present yourself and how you want people to perceive you.

If you come out looking like a bump, then people will react to you in a certain way. So, the key for me is comfort.
Then I try to eat a healthy meal. For breakfast, I can eat whatever I like. I like chicken a lot especially, chicken breasts. I also like some sea foods just a little bit.

It could be shrimps or whatever. After breakfast, my day becomes fast paced but each day varies depending on the things I have to do for that day. I could be in the studio or have an interview with the press or have a meeting with people trying to negotiate deals for the label.

I could also have an event where I am performing or speaking. Depending on the day, generally, that is how I work.
I have an office but I don’t go there every day depending on what I have to do. If I have a meeting to attend in the office, then I go there otherwise, I could be at home and work from there.

At work, I oversee the musical side of the artists. It is either I work in the studio or we oversee their careers in terms of positioning our artists, working with  different corporate clients to see how we can perform at different platform or liaise with different companies  to find a cross marketing like me and Samsung or Wizkid and Pepsi. So we do a lot of strategic thinking and planning, and negotiations in this regard.

Like I said earlier, it all depends on the day. For example, there are events you attend where you have to attend an after-party or you just feel like letting loose a little bit and hang out with my people. Events like that, could keep me  out a little bit.

The least favourite aspect of my job is when I have to do photo-shoots. I hate photo-shoots. I love video shoots because it seems that I am playing a role in a short movie. Photo-shoots I hate like I hate taking pictures at events. I find it really annoying because you stand there and you are expected to strike poses and do all the random things you do when doing a photo-shoot.

Even though I don’t like it, I have to do it because obviously, I need pictures for my CD covers and interviews. I don’t enjoy it at all. So I try to limit them. I really shouldn’t be saying this because my manager will be upset with me. I only do photo-shoots when I have a new album coming out.

So, when I do that shoot, I try to take as many different pictures as I can so that they will leave me alone at least for the next two years. But they are necessary, because people need to see you and connect with your image as well. So it is a necessary evil. So that is the least favourite aspect of my work’’.

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Disabled, one other arraigned for robbery

Twenty-eight-year-old, physically challenged man, Yahya Dogo and one Moses Kikame (26-yr) were yesterday arraigned before a Lagos High Court for allegedly stealing jewellery valued at N100, 000.

The duo who were charged before Justice Christopher Balogun are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery. State counsel, Mr W.A Quadri told the court that the defendants have no particular means of livelihood.
Information on the charge sheet revealed that Kikame and Dogo committed the offence on June 3, 2011 at Lester Pharmacy, Ado-Odo, Ajah, Lagos at 8.00 p.m.
Kikame and Dogo attacked one Mr Lucky Amadiuche while armed with a gun and disposed him of his gold chain valued at N100, 000. They however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them.
Ruling their bail applications, the court granted Kikame which Dogo was remanded in prison custody. The offences contravened Sections 402 and 403 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.
State counsel, Mr W.A Quadri who pleaded that there were no witnesses in court at the time of the hearing; asked for an adjournment date to enable him produce witnesses in court which the defense counsel, Mr Omiyinka Oyediji, didn’t object.
Justice Balogun then ordered that the first defendant continue his bail while the second be remanded in custody and adjourned the case to October 3, 2013 for hearing.
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Female Teacher Arrested For Having Séx With Teenage Student And Getting Pregnant For Him

A 28-year-old teacher has been arrested for allegedly having séx with a 16-year-old high student after police say she gave birth to a baby he had fathered. 

Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst was taken into custody just before 9pm Monday after being questioned at her Redlands home.

The 28-year-old, who teaches 10th-grade English at Citrus Valley High School, faces a charge of unlawful séxual intercoursé with a minor. She was released from jail after posting $25,000 Monday night.

According to the Redlands Police Department, Whitehurst's underage lover was 16 years old during their year-long relationship, which allegedly started last summer.

The mother of the alleged victim, who is now 17 years ago, somehow became aware of the affair between her son and his teacher and notified the Redlands United School District, which in turn contacted police. 

The 28-year-old woman gave birth to a child June 18, and police say her former student is the father.

Since her arrest Monday evening, Whitehurst had been placed on administrative leave.

‘Nothing is as important to us as the safety of our students and the District takes this arrest very seriously. We are fully cooperating with police in their investigation of this matter,’ Assistant School Superintendent Sabine Robertson-Phillips said.

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Singer Tunde Ednut Involved in Car Accident on His Way to Visit Sick OJB Jezreel

Fast-rising singer and comedian, Tunde Ednut was reportedly involved in a car accident on Sunday, June 30, 2013.

Reports claimed that the singer was on his way to visit music producer, OJB Jezreel – who is presently in need of about N16million for a kidney transplant – when the accident occurred.

Eye witnesses claim that a taxi rammed into the singer’s car, damaging a side of the vehicle.

Tunde was formerly a comedian based in the UK until he returned to Nigeria to pursue a music career.

Reacting on the accident, Tunde tweeted:

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Woman worker, 45, crushed to death under a pile of wooden barriers at a paintball centre in 'freak accident'

The woman was unloading a stack of obstacles when they fell upon her

She was a manager at the Delta Force Pepperwood centre in Plymouth

Devon and Cornwall are investigating death at around 9.30pm on Friday

Detectives say they are not treating the death as suspicious

Paintball centre workers found their female colleague crushed to death under a stack of wooden barriers she was unloading from her van.

The 45-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, was found by fellow staff at the Delta Force gaming centre in Plymouth and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
She was discovered pinned under the heavy pallets at around 9.30pm on Friday when she failed to answer her phone after taking the delivery and colleagues went to investigate.

The as-yet unnamed woman died after a stack of wooden palllets fell on top of her at the Delta Force paintballing centre in Devon where she worked (file picture)

The woman is thought to have been a manager at the military-style site, set in woodland off the A38 just outside Plympton.

An ambulance was called but paramedics pronounced the woman, who has not been named, dead at the scene.

Police, who are not treating the incident, which they believe was simply a 'freak accident', as suspicious, were also contacted and an investigation on behalf of the Plymouth coroner was launched.

It is understood that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was contacted, but the investigation was handed back to police to conclude.

The HSE said it does not investigate deaths at entertainment complexes, although they are understood to be assisting with certain aspects of the police investigation.

Detectives leading the inquiry are also in contact with environmental health officers from South Hams District Council.

A female member of staff was killed unloading a stack of wooden obstacles at the Delta Force Pepperwood paintball centre (file paintballing picture)

No post-mortem examination has been carried out at this stage although investigators say initial reports suggest the woman suffered fatal chest injuries.

Delta Force, which describes itself as the world’s number one paintball operator, has 29 centres in the UK and Ireland where they say around 600,000 people took part in 2012.

Its website promises customers 'the very best paintballing experience imaginable - in terms of quality, safety, value and enjoyment.'
At the Plymouth site, known as Pepperwood, combatants take out the enemy using paint guns and grenades, thunderflashes and smoke grenades in game zones named Castle Wolfenstein, Chemical Alley and Viet Cong Village.
Players as young as 10 have the added attraction of earning bonus points for shooting at a 'Terminator' figure that wanders around the battle field.
The centre was closed today but the ticket office was still running as usual. Delta Force bosses did not reply to MailOnline's request for a comment.
Devon and Cornwall Police said the woman’s next of kin has been informed and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
A police spokesman said: 'The woman, who was a member of staff, became trapped while unloading wooden barriers from a transit van. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

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Gang in India 'chop off eight-year-old girl's arm with sword after she is main witness in kidnapping of younger brother'

• Uzma Ara was allegedly grabbed near a train station in Bihar
• Family travelled to the city to file complaint over alleged kidnap of son, four
• Local Criminal Investigation Department now launched probe

A gang in India chopped off an eight-year-old girl's arm with a sword as her family tried to secure the release of her kidnapped younger brother.
Uzma Ara had travelled to Patna, in Bihar, east India, with her family in a bid to free the four-year-old boy who was snatched from a street near their home in Darbhanga district.
Uzma's father Ainul Ansari claims the gang targeted the little girl as she is the main witness to the alleged kidnapping of his son Julfikar.

Uzma Ara's family say criminals followed them to Bihar (pictured) where they were due to file kidnap complaint to police and chopped off part of her right arm with a sword

Indian media report she is seriously ill at a government hospital in Patna after losing part of her right arm.  
The family say she was attacked near the city's train station on Friday as they looked for a hotel to stay in.

Mr Ansari said the gang had followed them to Patna where they were due to file a complaint with police.

The Janata Dal government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has now ordered a new investigation into the attack and their missing son.
Uzma's mother Nasreen Khatoon appealed directly to the chief minister at his weekly forum.
Criminal Investigation Department director general A.K. Upadhyay told Gulf News: 'The investigating agency will probe the case afresh with two angles — chopping off of the girl’s arm and kidnapping of her brother.'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (left) has now ordered an investigation into the alleged kidnap and attack

The family say local police have maintained the child lost her arm in a train accident.
Mr Ansari, a tailor, said he has been forced to pay 300,000 rupees (£3,300) to the gang over the past few months, Gulf News reports.
He says that local police refused to investigate and when the family refused to pay any more, the gang kidnapped his son.
Opposition politicians have now criticised the local government for failing to investigate the allegations straight away.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain was quoted by Gulf News as saying that the chief minister has presided over a 'total collapse of law and order' in Bihar.

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Missing man, 43, 'is rescued after being forced to work as a slave for 13 years without one day off on farm where he slept with rats'

Darrell Simester disappeared while on holiday in Wales in August 2000

His family found 'vulnerable' son on farm in filthy conditions after tip-off

He claims he was treated like a slave by Irish traveller farm owners

A 'vulnerable' man who went missing for 13 years has claimed he was kept as a slave by Irish travellers.
Darrell Simester, now 43, disappeared after arguing with friends on a holiday in Wales in August 2000.
His desperate parents Tony, 66, and Jean, 61, contacted the police around 50 times but were never able to locate their son.
But after years of searching, they have finally tracked him down in a remote farm in south Wales following an anonymous tip-off.

Found: Darrell Simester has been reunited with his family (right) 13 years after he went missing in Wales (left)

They found Darrell living in a filthy caravan in a farmyard with no running water. He was starving, wearing dirty, torn clothes and had teeth missing.

'Darrell is settling down to a peaceful family life, something he has missed out on in the last thirteen years.' 
- Jean Simester, Darrell's mother

Now reunited with his family in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, Darrell has a host of medical problems caused by his poor treatment over the past 13 years.
He told The Sun he had been treated like a slave by his masters, who lured him in by offering him a job.
He claimed he was forced to work 12 hours a day and was never given a day off or allowed to visit a doctor, but his fear of repercussions stopped him from running away.
'I never had one day off in 13 years,' he told the newspaper. 'I was scared what they'd do to me if I didn't stay there.'
He described how he had been forced to sleep in a rat-filled shed at the farm before being moved into the caravan two years ago, but still had to shower using water from a horse trough.
His father described his son's treatment as 'inhumane' and 'horrendous'.

 

He added: 'These type of people roam the streets picking up the vulnerable and offering them a new life. Then they are treated like dogs.'
Darrell had managed to call his parents every six months for the first eight years to let them know he was alive, but was too terrified to tell them where he was. Once he implied he was in Ireland but they had no luck finding him there.
Then when the calls stopped in 2008 they feared the worst had happened.
Mrs Simester set up a Facebook group to help find her son, which had up to 9,000 members at a time helping with the search.

'These type of people roam the streets picking up the vulnerable and offering them a new life. Then they are treated like dogs.'
- Darrell's father Tony on his son's masters

In February Mr and Mrs Simester put out an appeal in a Welsh local paper after receiving information through the group that one of the calls their son had made could have originated in Cardiff.
The next day they received a call from an anonymous person who said they were 95 per cent sure they had seen Darrell at the farm, near Cardiff.
Mr and Mrs Simester and their youngest son Duncan travelled to the site with police where they found their son.
Speaking to the South Wales Echo, which had run their appeal, as she was reunited with her son, Mrs Simester said: 'Not having heard from him for four years you’re thinking the worst. When the phone calls stopped... What can I say? This day has made my life.'
Later the family posted a statement on their Facebook group saying: 'We will share our good news..WE HAVE OUR SON DARRELL BACK HOME..So this has been' THE GREATEST DAY OF OUR LIVES'.
'Please respect our privacy for the next few days we have to let him recover. Many thanks for all your good wishes over the years and not giving up ..x x x
'You are wonderful people and I feel that I know you all. From the bottom of my Heart a VERY BIG THANKYOU..X X X.'

Filthy: The farm in south Wales where Darrell Simester claims he was treated like a slave and kept in 'horrendous' conditions

The family said Darrell had been to the hospital several times since he came home and had undergone an operation. His father said his problems were 'all down to the conditions he has been subjected to over the last 13 years', but his mother confirmed he was 'getting stronger and coping very well'.
In a message on Facebook, she said: 'Darrell is settling down to a peaceful family life, something he has missed out on in the last thirteen years... his health is our priority and each ailment is being dealt with even though it seems to take ages to get anything done for him... he at last sleeps in a proper bed with bed linen and proper washing facilities, clean clothes, all of which he has not had.'
She said he was slowly being reunited with members of the extended family - including nieces and nephews he had never met - as he felt ready to.
Mrs Simester added: 'I have shown him the Missing Darrell Simester page and he couldn't believe that so many people have been involved.
'Thank you to everyone that has supported our family in finding Darrell, without your help, the appeal in the (South Wales) Echo and the One Person who telephoned me with where Darrell was, we still would not have him home. 
'You are all forever in our hearts and thoughts God Bless you all.'
Gwent Police said investigations were ongoing into 'the conditions in which Mr Simester was living and working during the time he was not in contact with his family to establish whether any offences were committed'.

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Horrific video shows Syrian Catholic priest being 'beheaded by jihadist fighters in front of cheering crowd'

• Father Francois Murad's death was confirmed by Vatican news agency
• Footage of 49-year-old's gruesome death was filmed on a camera phone
• The Syrian priest was killed last 23 June in Gassanieh, northern SyriaA Syrian Catholic priest has been beheaded by jihadist fighters in Syria, it has been claimed.
  The death of Franciscan Father Francois Murad has been confirmed by the official Vatican news agency.
  The gruesome killing has raised further concerns about the West arming rebels in the fight against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
  Grainy footage purported to show the 49-year-old’s death has been posted on the internet.
  Father Francois, was killed on 23 June in Gassanieh, in northern Syria.
  He had been staying in the convent of the Custody of the Holy Land.
  Catholic.org linked to the video and reported: 'Syrian terrorists have beheaded a Catholic priest who they accused of collaborating with the Assad regime. Those accusations have not yet been verified.'
  Fides News Agency said: 'According to local sources, the monastery where Fr. Murad was staying was attacked by militants linked to the jihadi group Jabhat al-Nusra.'
  Jabhat al-Nusra, also known as the Front for the Protection of the Syrian People, is an Al Qaeda associated group, described as 'the most aggressive and successful arm of the rebel force.'
  In the video, filmed on a camera phone and posted on LiveLeak, three men - including a man reported to be Father Francois - are seen sitting on the dusty ground as a crowd around them cheers.
  GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Scroll down for video
  
  Horrifying: Grainy footage purported to show the 49-year-old¿s death has been posted on the internet
  
  
  

  Blood-thirsty: In the video, filmed on a camera phone and three men are seen sitting on the dusty ground as a crowd around them cheers, filming the gruesome scene
  
  
  

  Terrifying: The man is pulled forward and laid face down on the grass as the crowd chant 'Allahu akbar' and take photos
  
  

  MailOnline has censored the video content 

  Syrian Catholic priest beheaded in Gassanieh, northern Syria

  
  The man, wearing a brown robe, is filmed sitting cross-legged with his hands apparently bound.
  He is pulled forward and laid face down on the grass as the crowd chant 'Allahu akbar' and take photos.
  He is then decapitated, using what looks like a rudimentary kitchen knife.
  Dozens of camera phones are shoved forward by the baying crowd as the scene turns more bloody.
  Fides News Agency says the 'circumstances of the death are not fully understood' but said his death has been confirmed by the Custos of the Holy Land - the convent where Father Francois had been staying.
  It has not been confirmed Father Francois was beheaded. 
  Assad's forces pounded Sunni Muslim rebels in the city of Homs with artillery and from the air on Sunday, the second day of their offensive in central Syria, activists said.
  They said rebels defending the old centre of Homs and five adjacent Sunni districts had largely repelled a ground attack on Saturday by Assad's forces, backed by guerrillas from the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, but reported clashes and deaths within the city on Sunday.
  Mohammad Mroueh, a member of the opposition 'Homs Crisis Cell' said at least 25 loyalist troops including four Hezbollah fighters had been killed in Homs in the previous 24 hours.
  Such reports are difficult to verify in Syria, where independent media cannot usually report freely.
  The opposition Syrian National Coalition said in a statement that it feared that Assad's forces will use chemical weapons on the city 'after the regime's campaign on Homs failed to achieve any important results.'
  The offensive follows steady military gains by Assad's forces, backed by Hezbollah, in villages in Homs province and towns close to the Lebanese border.
  Opposition sources and diplomats said the loyalist advance had tightened the siege of Homs and secured a main road link to Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon and to army bases in Alawite-held territory near the Syrian coast, the main entry point for Russian arms that have given Assad an advantage in firepower.
  
  

  Destruction: Homes are seen destroyed by Syrian government airstrikes and shelling in Aleppo, Syria
  
  
  

  Devastating: More than two years of fighting in Syria's civil war has damaged some 9,000 state buildings and run up $15 billion in losses to the public sector, a government minister said Sunday
  
  
  

  Crater: A man sits next to the damaged area outside Khalid bin al Walid Mosque in Homs

  At least 100,000 people have been killed since the Syrian revolt against four decades of rule by Assad and his late father erupted in March 2011, making the uprising the bloodiest of the Arab Spring revolutions against entrenched autocrats.
  The Syrian conflict is increasingly pitting Assad's Alawite minority, backed by Shi'ite Iran and its Hezbollah ally, against mainly Sunni rebel brigades supported by the Gulf states, Egypt, Turkey and others.
  Sunni Jihadists, including al Qaeda fighters from Iraq, have also entered the fray.
  The loyalist advances have alarmed international supporters of the rebels, leading the United States to announce it will step up military support.
  Saudi Arabia has accelerated deliveries of sophisticated weaponry, Gulf sources say.
  
  

  Assistance: Rescuers and neighboors removes chunks of rubble from a partially collapsed building after a rocketed slammed into the side of a residential block located next to a mosque in the northern city of Aleppo
  

  Injured: A wounded Syrian man walks past rescuers and others gathered at the scene after a rocket slammed into the side of a residential building
  Opposition activists said a woman and child had been killed in a strike by government aircraft on the old city of Homs, home to hundreds of civilians.
  Video footage taken by the activists showed the bodies being carried in blankets and a man holding a wounded child with a gash in his head.
  Rebel fighters fought loyalist forces backed by tanks in the old covered market, which links the old city with Khalidiya, a district inhabited by members of tribes who have been at the forefront of the armed insurgency.
  'After failing to make any significant advances yesterday, the regime is trying to sever the link between Khalidiya and the old city,' Abu Bilal, one of the activists, said from Homs.
  'We are seeing a sectarian attack on Homs par excellence, The army has taken a back role. Most of the attacking forces are comprised of Alawite militia being directed by Hezbollah.'
  
  
  
  

  Checks: A member of the Free Syrian Army mans a checkpoint during a siege on the Kurdish city of Afrin, which is under the control of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in the Aleppo countryside
  
  
  

  Tension: A view of the Shi'ite villages of Nubbul and Al-Zahraa that the Free Syrian Army plans to siege in the Aleppo countryside
  Alawites belong to an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam and have controlled Syria since the 1960s, when members of the sect took over the army and security apparatus in the mainly Sunni country.
  Activists said loyalist forces have been issued with masks as protection against chemical weapons.
  They said sarin gas had been used in the past few months to dislodge rebel fighters from Deir Baalba, a town northeast of Homs.
  'Old Homs and the adjacent areas have been under siege for more than a year and unless the fighters receive new weapons quickly the regime's new tactics of levelling neighbourhood after neighbourhoods will eventually force the rebels out,' said an opposition campaigner who did not want to be named.
  'Chemical weapons will accelerate the regime's takeover of Homs,' he added.
  Syrian authorities have denied using chemical weapons in the conflict and accused the opposition of using them.
  The United States has concluded that Assad's forces have used chemical weapons on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year.
  
  

  Advances: A Free Syrian Army member stands on a lookout point beside the Shi'ite villages of Nubbul and Al-Zahraa
  

  Support: Syrian refugees hold a large Syrian opposition flag, with a length of 300 metres, to show their support for the Syrian opposition against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at Al Zaatri refugee camp in the Jordanian city of Mafraq
  Saudi Arabia, a foe of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has urged the European Union to arm Syrian rebels without delay, following similar action by the United States.
  The European Union lifted restrictions on arming the rebels in May when it failed to renew a weapons arms embargo before it expired on June 1. But Britain and France, which had advocated lifting the ban, said they would not send weapons before Aug. 1.
  'The Syrian opposition is not only fighting an illegitimate regime, but also fighting a foreign occupier,' Saudi state news agency SPA quoted Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal as telling an EU-GCC ministerial meeting in Bahrain on Sunday.
  He was referring to Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah forces that have joined in recent fighting alongside Assad's military, notably spearheading the capture of the border town of Qusair.
  'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ... refers to the EU resolution to lift the ban on arming the Syrian opposition, and calls for the implementation of this resolution in light of the grievous realities on the ground in Syria,' Prince Saud said.
  Gains by Assad's forces and Hezbollah's involvement have prompted the United States to promise the rebels military aid beyond the non-lethal equipment it had previously supplied.
  The New York Times reported in June that the supplies, to be coordinated by the CIA, might include anti-tank weapons.
  
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37 Year Old Woman No Longer Going To Prison After Sleeping With 16 Year Old Boy

A female teacher at "Horndog High" admitted Thursday to bedding a 16-year-old boy at the school but will get no jail time.
She will, however, have to surrender her teaching license.
In a plea-bargain agreement, Erin Sayar, 37, will serve 10 years' probation for having sex with Kevin Eng, whom she tutored at Brooklyn's James Madison High School. The sèx occurred in classrooms and Sayar's car.
"The complainant and his family are amenable to the offer," Assistant District Attorney Serena Horowitz said in Brooklyn Supreme Court. "They stated to me that they don't want to see the defendant spend time in jail."
The tattooed teacher carried on the tryst with Eng in December 2011 and was exposed when his girlfriend snooped in his Facebook account and found he wrote to Sayar, "I love you so much."
A special commissioner for investigations for the Education Department revealed that the teacher and the boy exchanged nearly 4,000 text messages.
Sayar, of Park Slope, who divorced her lawyer husband this year, pleaded guilty to third-degree rápe, or statutory rápe, acknowledging she had sèxwith Eng when he was weeks shy of his 17th birthday, which is the legal age of consent.
"The defendant's health" was part of the consideration when making the plea offer, Horowitz said.

Erin Sayar and her husband, Jimmy Lathrop, divorced this year.

Sayar is seriously ill and suffering from Lymphoma, a source told the News.
The student's family had filed a $10 million lawsuit against the city and the Education Department.
Family lawyer Bruce Baron thanked prosecutors "for securing swift justice against Sayar, for her unlawful acts."
"We now look forward to aggressively pursuing all defendants responsible in the civil matter," he added.
The Midwood school acquired its randy nickname in 2009, when two female teachers were caught by a janitor in an undressed embrace. Another teacher was investigated later that year for having an affair with a male student, but it was closed because he was of legal age.
Sayar is the only teacher from the school to face criminal charges.
Her sèx offender status will be determined at her Aug. 1 sentencing.
Sayar left the court without making a comment but cracked a relieved smile to her lawyer as
they waited for the elevator.
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Fleeing robbers kill 10 travellers

Hell was let loose in the early hours of yesterday in Akure as some armed robbers invaded Olokuta  Medium Prison on Ondo Road Akure  in the state capital, freeing about 179 inmates  and killing 10 travellers.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that the robbers, about 30, and fully armed, gained access  into the prison premises  around 1am after using an explosive device suspected to be  dynamite to break the prison’s wall.

The bandits had earlier vandalized the streetlights from the highway to the gate of the prison gate to ensure blackout during the operation.

The development, however,  caused pandemonium among the residents with the news  that the prison was attacked by members of the dreaded Boko Haram. Some of the inmates, including condemned criminals, those awaiting trials and others that were already serving terms, took advantage of the situation and escaped through the various bush paths.

It was gathered that over 100  armed robbers who have been jailed as well as those on awaiting trial, escaped during the jail- break along with other criminals who were also in the prison’s custody.The freeing bandits, it was learnt, were some of the robbers terrorizing the people of the state, arrested and prosecuted by the police and were ordered by the courts to be remanded in the prison’s custody

After carrying out the operation in the prisons, and while trying to escape with their colleagues from the scene, the robbers ran into some  travellers along Ondo Road whose vehicle had a flat tyre at a point very close to the entrance of the prison. They shot and killed 10 of the passengers  instantly, including the driver.

The robbers, after killing the occupants, waited and replaced the flat tyre with the extra before escaping with the mini bus

Speaking with newsmen, the state’s Comptroller of Prisons,  Mr. Tunde Olayiwola, described the invasion as unusual and alien to the state. He said the prison service will bring the culprits to book.

Olayiwola confirmed that only one prison warder was injured in the attack, adding that the affected officer was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

“We cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but the attack is unusual. One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital right now receiving treatment, but I am assuring that those behind the attack, will be brought to book.”

It was, however, gathered that few inmates have been arrested by security operatives as efforts were on to rearrest the fleeing inmates as security agents were seen as early as 8.30 am yesterday combing many  brothels in the state capital.

Meanwhile,  the state police command has allayed the fear that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram. A statement by the spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said there was no iota of truth in the rumour that the Islamist sect was responsible.

•After storming prison, freeing 179 criminals

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School Closes Because Administration Says That Students Are Possessed By Evil Spirits

School administrators have suspended classes in an elementary school in Mandaluyong City on Thursday after "evil spirits" possessed 20 students, Manila, Philippines.

According to the report, around 20 students aged between 12 and 16 started acting strangely—screaming, crying, fainting and convulsing—prompting claims that they were possessed by evil spirits. 

A Grade 8 teacher at the public school, Julie Esparagoza,  said the incident started shortly after 9 a.m. and initially involved two girls from her section.

Esparagoza said that she and her students were in a classroom when one of the girls suddenly stood up and began acting strangely while the other lost consciousness.

The teacher added that the girl who stood up had to be restrained at one point since it looked like she was going to attack her unconscious classmate.

The woman immediately brought the two girls to separate classrooms where their behavior gradually returned to normal.

Esparagoza, however, said she later observed the same behavior among her other students who had stepped out of the classroom for their break. According to her, she saw five girls and a boy “lying on the floor and shaking while others were crying frantically.”

A male student who refused to be named said he saw one girl “convulsing” on the ground near the stage in the middle of the playground while another was “in tears.” “I helped bring them to the principal’s office,” he said.

They were not the only students who were affected. Esparagoza said the same behavior was observed in other Grade 8 students from five different sections. She added that she tried looking for a priest to help the affected students but the staff of two churches she called up told her that the priest was not available.

A pastor from the nearby Born-Again Jesus First Christian Ministries said he rushed to the school when he learned of the incident from a church member.

“The students were shouting: ‘I don’t want to! I don’t want to!’, ‘Princess!’” Pastor Boyet Sion said. But no one knew who Princess was. He said he prayed for the students and they calmed down a few minutes later.

According to Editha Septimo, the officer in charge of the high school section, some of the affected students were taken to the principal’s office while the others were brought to a classroom where a doctor attended to them.

Septimo said she had no choice but to suspend classes in the Grade 8 level at 10 a.m. after parents started rushing to the school to get their children out of fear that they would also be “possessed.” “The parents were very frantic, some were hurling insults at us,” she added.

However, as soon as the unaffected Grade 8 students were allowed to go home, at least four Grade 7 students began exhibiting the same behavior, Esparagoza said. This prompted Nerissa Lozaria, assistant schools division superintendent, to suspend classes in the entire school.

Several of the “possessed” students were allowed to go home after they calmed down while the others were taken to a nearby church where they were blessed, Esparagoza said.

A worker at the church who refused to be named said around 10 students were brought there for exorcism but they later left, some of them to attend Mass at Quiapo Church.

Those who witnessed the incident, meanwhile, were divided about what happened. Septimo was skeptical and called the incident a case of “mass hysteria” caused by students who just wanted attention.

She cited one “possessed” student whose behavior immediately returned to normal after she was told she would be injected with something to calm her down. Septimo said that this was the first such incident at the school.

Sion, for his part, said the incident was clearly a case of “evil spirits possessing the students.” According to him, he heard reports that some of the affected pupils had earlier conducted a seance (spirit of the glass) at a cemetery near the school.

“They might have invited the spirits to possess them,” he said. His theory was supported by a church worker who said that two children were taken to the church hours before the incident at the school.

The complaint of those who brought the two children in: They seemed to be possessed by evil spirits.

The church worker said that several balete trees were cut down at the school only recently to give way to the construction of a covered court. This may have angered some spirits, the worker added.

After calming down, four of the students told the teachers that they saw images of a mother and a child. They also saw an image of a man in black clothes.

Due to the confusion school officials also decided to suspend classes for the whole day.

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Pastor's Wife Goes Bráless For BET Awards

Popular actress Meagan Good, who is well known for her role as Mya in the hit movie Think Like A Man, based on Steve Harvey's best seller: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, showed a little too much of herself at the just concluded BET awards.

Meagan is reportedly married to Pastor Devon Franklin, who she was said to have dated for 10 months before tying the knot. At that time, she also revealed she was remaining celibáte before they officially became husband and wife.

Although she was not raised in the church, Good says she is a Christian and considers herself very spiritual and has said many times that she will not do roles that she feels disrespects God and that Jesus is her hero.

But when she stepped out at the 2013 BET Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, the 31-year-old actress flaunted her cleaváge in a plúnging blue gown.

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Genevieve, Omotola, Rita Dominic, Funke Akindele In Tough Fight For City People Awards

Sunday, July 14, 2013 will be the day organisers of the annual City People Awards would announce the winner of the Face of Nollywood category, which is keenly contested by the quartet of Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Rita Dominic and Funke Akindele-Oloyede. 

The category is as important as others, but what makes the Face of Nollywood category to be one of the high points of the awards’ segment is the controversies among fans of the prolific actresses as to who is truly the face of Nollywood among the four nominees.

Another category of the awards is the Musician of The Year (Male) category which has Wizkid, Davido, Ice Prince, Iyanya and Flavour as nominees. The artistes are all qualified to win at the category based on the impact they have had in the music industry in Nigeria. 

Another tough category is the Most Popular Song Of The Year. Ihe Neme (2Face Idibia), Limpopo (Kcee), Kukere (Inyanya), Shake Your Bum (Timaya), First of All (Olamide), Go Gaga Crazy (Chuddy K), Alingo (P-Square), Gobe (Davido) and Sho Le (Sean Tizzle) will slug it out in that section of the awards. 
There is the Ghana section of the awards, which is also keenly contested. 

The event holds at the Haven Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
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Ibinabo Sets Up Benevolent Fund To Cater For Veterans Against The Unexpected

Worried by the embarrassment caused by the way Nollywood actors beg for money from members of the public anytime they have serious ailments, the President of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Ibinabo Fiberesima has set up a fund called ‘Benevolent Fund’.

Ibinabo disclosed recently that the fund will support actors who have worked in the entertainment industry and have fallen on hard times. The ex-beauty queen stated that she her position as the AGN boss has made her to be involved in very touching sad stories of some actors’ in need of funds to cater for themselves.

She expressed joy with the way some influential people in the society have embraced the idea. 
“Ironically, members of the general public look at the industry in terms of success, money and awards, but we know it’s a very precarious profession. You find yourself in dark periods, when you are ill and feeling very alone.

“It can sometimes be even worse if you are well known because you are still stopped on the streets, but you may be facing serious challenges that are not known to the people.

“What this profession has as its hearts is a bond between groups of people working together on a project. You can’t work in isolation and we need to support each other in bad times too. That’s why I believe in this project,” Ibinabo narrated.

She further added that, “the Benevolent Fund will be granted to revalidated members of the guild who require medical attention or are otherwise prevented from working by circumstances beyond their control.”

Ibinabo then appealed to well meaning individuals, who wish to donate to the fund, to direct such to the guild’s office on Ajao Road in Surulere, Lagos. 
Story by Osaremen Ehi James/Nigeriafilms.com
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11 burnt to death in Ibadan auto crash

About 11 people were burnt to death yesterday in an accident which occurred at the Macmillan area, a few metres before Soka bus stop on Ibadan – Lagos Expressway.
A witness said the lone accident involved a commercial Mazda bus coming from Ogijo in Ogun State and heading to Beere in Ibadan to attend a Wolimat programme of a family member.
It was also gathered that most of the occupants were dressed in a uniform Ankara for the occasion.
A source said the propeller of the bus pulled out and hit the fuel tank, catching fire in the process.
In an attempt to save the situation, the driver veered off the road to hit a heap of sand by the roadside.
Immediately the bus stopped, the driver and the two passengers in the front seat escaped but others were not lucky as the door of the bus could not be open.
It was learnt that the 11 people who died in the accident included eight adults and three children.
Also, 13 people, including the driver, sustained various degrees of injury and were taken to the Adeoyo Hospital and the University Teaching Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.
The Assistant Corps Commander and Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Oluyole Ibadan/ Lagos tollgate, Mr. Adeoye Sanya, confirmed the incident.
He said: “The FRSC was informed of the accident around 1p.m that an Ibadan-bound bus from Lagos was involved in an accident.
“According to an eyewitness, the propeller of the bus was reported to have pulled out, hitting the fuel tank along the line and catching flame. Having looked around, the driver decided to hit a heap of sand by the side of the expressway but that didn’t save the situation.
“However, I can confirm to you that the bus was badly loaded and from the report of the victims – 13 were injured while 11 were burnt to death. The driver is among the four male victims taken to the Adeoyo Hospital while nine others, seven adults and two children, were taken to UCH.”
Meanwhile, a middleaged man among the onlookers collapsed when the FRSC men were pulling out bodies from the bus.
It took the intervention of some people, who poured water on the man, to revive him.
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EKSU sacks six lecturers for plagiarism and sèxual harassment, Rusticates 300 Students

Authorities of the Ekiti State University, EKSU, Ado-Ekiti, have relieved six academic staff of their appointments for plagiarism, fraudulent practices and sèxual harassment.
The institution’s Deputy Registrar, Information, Mr. Ajibade Olubunmi, said in a statement that the list included three senior academic staff who were dismissed for manipulating examination scores, plagiarism and failure to serve the university after being sponsored abroad.
Olubunmi said the institution’s Governing Council, following the recommendations of the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, also approved the termination of the appointments of three other academic staff for gross academic misconduct, falsification of employment records and sèxual harassment.
The Olokuta Medium Security Prison in Akure, Ondo State, which recorded a jailbreak, yesterday. He said the university also expelled 24 students “found guilty of committing offences ranging from examination misconduct to being members of unregistered associations in the university”.
Olubunmi, who said the students’ expulsion was confirmed by the management after due process which included appearance before the Students’ Disciplinary Committee, added that “also, over 300 students have been rusticated for one session over examination misconduct”.
The Registrar, Dr. Omojola Awosusi, said the dismissal of a randy lecturer for sèxual harassment was a warning signal to the university community that genderbased violence would not be treated with levity.
Awosusi told the Genderbased Violence Prohibition Law, GBVL, Management Committee, delegation which was on advocacy visit, that legal encumbrance was a major challenge frustrating the institution’s resolve to deal with errant students and lecturers found culpable of sèxual harassment.
The registrar told the delegation led by the wife of the fovernor and Chairperson of the committee, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, and Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi, that another attempted rape of a nonacademic staff was nipped in the bud when sympathisers were attracted to the scene by shouts from the victim.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina, assured the GBVL management committee of the institution’s preparedness to domesticate the law, adding that the university had established a centre for gender studies in the same regard.
Aina said that apart from strengthening the internal security of the university, hostel accommodation would soon be available for female students to protect them from prowling predators.
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SEE How This Man Difused This Bomb On A Suicide Bomber

Not this time.
An Afghan bomb technician played peacemaker Sunday, donning a heavily armored suit to diffuse a would-be suicide bomber's vest. The risky maneuver, gone Hollywood in the Oscar-winning drama "The Hurt Locker," required a deft touch — and a willingness to go face-to-face with powerful explosives.
Sunday's bomber in Jalalabad attempted to detonate his device before being apprehended and hog-tied. Then, the Afghan soldier, clad in a padded suit topped with a large helmet, approached the subdued terrorist and disabled the device. A photo after the all-clear was given shows the would-be bomber, clad in brown pants and shirt, lying on the ground next to a rifle and three grenades. A red wire is shown threaded through the vest, its three pouches filled with explosives.

Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers approach the would-be suicide attacker.

The officers took the man into custody and drove him away in the back of a pickup truck.
The successful disposal was a positive end to what has been a deadly year in the volatile country. Nearly 300 Afghan soldiers were killed in a monthlong period, while 753 militants and 180 civilians were killed over the course of the same four-week stretch. Through the end of May, 807 Afghan security force members had been killed since Jan. 1. An additional 365 civilians and 63 coalition troops were killed as well. The Afghan deaths were more than double the number from the same period last year and come as coalition troops hand over all responsibility for combat operations. Coalition troops are winding down what has been nearly 12 years of war and will leave the country next year.

Soldiers took the man into custody and placed him into the back of a pickup truck before hauling him off.

Even Sunday, more deaths were reported. In the Baghlan province in the country's north, a district police commander and three of his men were killed when a roadside bomb hit their vehicle.
With News Wire Services
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